MESSAGE ON PRAYER

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13; p. 1002).

This is the Lord’s P.rayer. We pray it with “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (justified from verses 14 and 15). From the Book of Common Prayer in the Church of England, where the King James was translated.

Yes, it can also mean debt and money (“Pay me that thou owest.”) Talents vs. one farthing.

Today I want to go through this prayer and talk about what each part means. There is a very great depth here.

Much of this prayer is not prayer at all. John R. Rice said, “Prayer is asking.” “Prayer – Asking and Receiving.” Much of the Lord’s Prayer is not asking at all.

Much of this is almost worship – declaring God’s greatness and our need for Him, before we do any asking.

“Our Father which art in Heaven.”

Our – a community or group, not just my Father

In fact every part of the prayer is “our” not “me” or “mine.” Christianity is a community religion and not just individual.

Father – a fatherly relationship. A father loves his child, also raises and disciplines, rewards, sacrifices himself for children if need be. Some of you didn’t have a father, or didn’t have this kind of a father, but this is the point here. If you didn’t have this relationship, seek God, and also read what the Bible says about Him.

“Which art in Heaven.”

Shows the existence – always – of God.

Shows the existence – always – of Heaven.

“Hallowed be thy name.”

“Hallowed” means “honored as holy, set apart.” It is an act of worship.

His name is not hallowed now among men, but someday it will be.

“Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.”

Praying for the Kingdom to come. (“Except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved,” Matthew 24:22 – is this in answer to two thousand years of prayer?)

Then the name of God will be hallowed and honored.

Then “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s will is not done on earth now but when Christ comes, it will. Imagine how wonderful that will be. Christ (the only good dictator, Christians ruling, good laws and government)

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Only NOW is it what we would call prayer, asking for things we need.

Notice it is bread, not luxuries. It is what we need, not riches and endless pleasure like
Americans want.

Also it shows our utter dependence on God, even for basic things like health and income.

p. 1215 “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

(I Corinthians 4:7; p. 1215).

Everything, including your health, food, and talents – all comes from God. Paul says, “Why are you acting like it was your own, that you made it and always had it?”

Without God you are nothing and have nothing. This is very profound, deep. If you think this is the main point of today’s message, that’s fine.

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”

This is not for salvation. But it is very, very serious. Jesus said,

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Pay me that thou owest! Can indicate an unsaved heart whose selfishness is shown all through like.

Or even in the Christian’s relationship with God. Jesus said,

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2). “Mete” just means “measure.” The metric system. “Meteyard” KJV means measure.

So: The way you measure it out to others will be used on you – Christian and lost alike.

You will get it back – for real.

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:36-38; p. 1081).

This is all through the Bible,

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7; p. 1247).

There are two times God can measure to you what you measured.

In this life

After death, Hell for the lost and rewards for the Christian

God will give you abundantly how you treated others and how you lived. This fits with the Golden Rule: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12; p. 1004). Most people don’t think about these things much. If they did, their lives would be different.

“To obey is better than sacrifice” (I Samuel 15:22). Do the right thing, more important than piling up hours or dollars to put in.

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24; p. 1000). Heavy. Walk away from the altar.

Dr. Hymers didn’t always follow the plan of a service or for a week, etc. [This is against my mechanical personality.] If something needed attention, he would stop everything until that was taken care of.

And get right with God about your own sin.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart [hold on to sin in the heart], The Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). Do this first. Why wait? If God shows you a sin, take care of it right away.

“And lead us not into temptation.” Again, total dependence. “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (I Corinthians 4:7). Most people think of facing down temptation on your own in a mighty struggle, for which you get credit. But if you do that you will fall. You will sin, because you have no strength of your own.

“But deliver us from evil.” Again, total dependence. Without God’s active help, holding you and sustaining you, you will be defeated by the Devil and his demons.

“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.” WHY can God, and only God, answer these requests. Instead of “For” put “Because.”

“Because thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.” Amen (means so be it, or so let it be). God, you have everything, and so you can answer my prayers. Amen.